News Room

On this page we will endeavor to give updates on local press coverage of the District Policing Partnership. Drugs in Our Community/Crime in our Community The recent Themed Meeting of Larne DPP was hosted by the staff and pupils of St.Comgall’s College.  The pupils of the College were consulted with prior to the meeting and asked what “Theme” they wanted the DPP to base the meeting on, to that end Larne DPP and the PSNI enlisted the help of Roy Lyall, who having served 26 years with the Drugs Squad gave a presentation on drugs, their effects and the consequences of using them.  During the presentation Roy showed the audience, which included not only pupils and staff of the College but also, the local Clergy, Community Representatives and members of the public, samples of drugs that are in use in their community.  Pupils were astounded to learn that the typical contents of an ecstasy tablet includes “among other ingredients”, rat poison, brick dust, grouting powder and even embalming fluid!  Mr Lyall’s presentation was, to say the least, graphic and hard hitting but his rapport with the audience meant that everyone took notice.   The fact that the meeting was very hands and revolved around audience participation has proved very positive and worthwhile.  Members of one local Community Group, after participating in the presentation, are now interested in bringing a similar workshop to the youth and parents of their area.   The meeting not only covered the aspect of Drugs Education but also focused on Crime in the Community.  Inspector Stephen Martin from Larne PSNI was on hand to answer questions set by the pupils.  Though figures show that Larne is one of the safest places to live with regard to recorded crime pupils asked the PSNI about an array of topics ranging from underage drinking through to sectarianism. Rosemary Briggs from the Education and Library Board rounded up a very informative morning with a workshop on “Bullying”.  Again this involved all the members of the audience who, being divided into four groups had to decide how they would deal with a bully.  A scenario was set that allowed the participants to wear the shoes of the bully, the victim and gang members.  This in turn helped participants understand better as to why some kids are bullies and also how the victim of a bully can turn the situation around to their advantage and so break the victim/bully cycle.  This proved to be a very emotive subject and was discussed with great enthusiasm. As a result of the positive feed back from the students of the college local Clergy and Community Representatives, Larne District Policing Partnership intend to continue on the same vein by hosting meetings and information events based on the needs of the citizens of the Borough.  Public Meetings might not appeal to the younger members of our Community so it is up to us to encourage local youth to get involved with policing matters and that we will continue to do.   The Chairman, Manager and Members of Larne DPP thank all those involved in making this event a success in terms of raising awareness, educating, and informing.  A special word of gratitude must be paid to the Principle of St.Comgall’s College Ms Cathy Gormley and her students and staff for their enthusiasm and welcome.     The work of the Larne DPP is closely followed by Members of the Local Press who regularly attend Meetings and give wide coverage in the local newspapers.

Larne Times November 1st 2007 LARNE DISTRCT CHIEFS HAIL SUMMER POLICING SUCCESS Summer policing in "H" District - which covers Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine, Larne and Moyle Council areas - has succeeded on a number of fronts, according to the PSNI. At a meeting in the Highways Hotel Chief Superintendent Will Kerr and Larne District Commander Nigel Goddard outlined Operation Safe Summer's work.  The partnership between the police, H-District Borough Councils, Community Safety Partnerships and District Policing Partnerships involved stepping up patrols between Islandmagee and Castlerock during the summer. On street drinking is down by 58% in Larne, police say, vehicle nuisance down by just 6%, anti-social behaviour incidents down by 24% and rowdy inconsiderate behaviour down by 28%.  CS Kerr said that the operation's objective was to increase the police presence in East Antrim.  "It was about working with the agencies and making the area safer, making it feel safer."  The operation, he said, contributed to the PSNI's crime reduction figures for the area - down by 19% overall in Larne.  "We worked up and down the coast and working with the agencies has made a difference,  It's set a template for the future," he said. CS Kerr described anti-social behaviour as a "big worry, probably more so than other crime areas.  It's what people see on the streets and we have taken lessons from that."  Usually, he added, there is a spike in anti-social behviour at Halloween - the unsupervised use of fireworks, for example - and other holidays, adding: "Coming up to Halloween people should feel safe."   Larne DCU Commander Nigel Goddard said that crime levels must be considered alongside quality of life issues for ordinary residents.  Extra officers were deployed at key times, such as Friday and Saturday nights.  Statistically, he said, high visibility patrols were increased, the PSNI patrolled alongside Environmental Health Officers, a clean-up was arranged in Islandmagee and a Community football match was arranged.  An extra 144 patrols were deployed in H-District during the summer", he said.   Asked by Independent Moyle DPP Member Peter Malloy whether a quiet marching season was reflected in the crime reduction figures, CS Kerr said:  "All we need is one bad event but we had a quiet marching season and a poor summer.  It helps, it makes significant difference and gives us lots of lessons.  The one thing that has stuck out is how prepared people are to work with us.  The new district has given a new flexibility and we can pump resources out to the Coast."  Peter Malloy added that any early concerns the public had about a new police district leading to centralisation appear to have been allayed. Larne Times October 25th 2007 HOW MANY OFFICERS ARE NEEDED TO POLICE BOROUGH OF LARNE? Larne's police chief has revealed that five is the minimum number of officers on duty at any given time.   The figure came up after questions were raised by District Policing Partnership members about police resources in Larne. Councillor Greg McKeen asked Chief Inspector Nigel Goddard if, now that Larne was under the control of the wider "H" District, he was happy with the level of resources.  "Has Larne suffered as a result of the merger?.  There's a fear that things may slip out of Larne and it may become a satellite station".  Mr. Goddard replied that he was happy with the level of resources, explaining that he had not had to reduce the minimum operational strengths at any time.  He also explained that a new shift pattern had been introduced.  "Where we are making savings are in back room services such as people looking after finances.  We are sharing some roles, such as crime prevention," he added.   DPP member Terry McCaughan recalled that the Police Ombudsman, Nuala O'Loan, had referred to police resources in her report into the assault of Larne man, Gerard McRandal. quoting: " a lack of police resources inhibited the police investigation".  "If she says that seven is not enough why are you saying five is enough?" he asked the police chief.  Mr. Goddard replied that five is the "minimum operational strength", but at key times, such as weekends, there were more officers and other resources could also be called upon.  He also referred to the overlapping of the new shift pattern.  "We will not go below five, but there are times where that is absolutely appropriate," Mr. Goddard added.  He further clarified that Mr. McRandal was assaulted in the early hours of the morning at the weekend, when it would not be appropriate to only have five officers on duty. Larne Times October 11th 2007 DPP's POLITICAL LINE-UP TO BE RESTRUCTURED Larne District Policing Partnership is to be reconstituted as, according to the Northern Ireland Policing Board, it's political make-up is not correct. Larne is one of 23 DPP's that will have to be reconstituted in line with legislation that gave effect to provisions contained in the St Andrews Agreement reached by the political parties last October. Policing Board Chairman, Professor Sir Desmond Rea said: " When District Policing Partnerships began working on behalf of the community in the spring of 2003, they did so in a very different political environment from where we are today; an environment that did not enjoy support from across the political spectrum." Legislation that came into effect at the start of September reflects the political decisions reached at St Andrews and places a responsibility on the Policing Board to consider the "political condition" of each DPP in that it reflects the balance of parties in the Council Chamber, he explained. "Having reviewed the current position of all 26 DPPs, the Board found that 23 do meet the "political condition" and will therefore be reconstituted in line with the Act and in co-operation with the respective Councils," Professor Rea added. Larne DPP Chairman and Ulster Unionist Party Councillor Andy Wilson commented: " The Larne DPP has received word from the Policing Board that it must be reconfigured - with the political membership revised and a new recruitment process opened for independent members.  We have been told that the recruitment process for independents must be complete by March next year, and that the Council must look again at the makeup of its eight delegates to the DPP "My understanding is that it will be up to the Council to look at the political membership in the next few weeks.  The d'hondt process of proportional selection may have to be run.  Speaking in a personal capacity and without my DPP Chairman's hat on, I think that completely reconfiguring the DPP is an expensive waste of time and money.  In my personal opinion this is being driven by political considerations flowing from the St Andrews Agreement. " I would also have considerable concerns that this reconfiguration could severely disrupt the routine work of the local DPP over the coming months. "The Partnership will be meeting shortly to discuss this matter, but it looks to me like a fait accompli and that the complete reconstitution of Larne DPP is unavoidable.  Personally I think this is yet again politics interfering with policing but I am sure Larne DPP will approach this period of change in a professional manner."

Larne Times October 11th 2007 DPP QUIZZES POLICE CHIEF ABOUT DRUGS Larne's police chief has said he cannot confirm whether the UDA is the prime source of drugs locally. District Policing Partnership member Terry McCaughan challenged Chief Inspector Nigel Goddard over the issue, saying that in his opinion, paramilitary groups were the only source of drugs in Larne. "It may not be the sort of gangsterism that there is in London, but is it true that the UDA is behind this?" he asked.  Mr. McCaughan said he felt at times he was "

a lonely furrow" over concerns about drugs and had raised it constantly through the DPP.  "Now it's good to see you agree there is a problem," he told the Chief Inspector.  Mr. Goddard said he could not confirm that the UDA was behind the Larne drugs scene.  "While there's a demand there will be a supply.  There are people involved in those organisations who are involved in drugs and there are those who are not involved."  He added that there was a demand for drugs in Larne and there was a supply, but it was at a "relatively low level".  "I'm not complacent.  We need to make sure it does not get to the stage of Ballymena, for instance," he said.   DPP member Patricia McNeill also voiced her concern about drugs in the Larne area, especially Glynn.  Mr. Goddard said he had attended a meeting in the village at which he made an appeal for information and some people did come forward.  "As a result of searches two people were identified," he said.  Rural Sector Inspector George Connolly confirmed that two very small amounts of cannabis had been found and they had been dealt with by way of caution.  "There's been no further problems in Glynn," he stressed.